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November 19, 2004 Friday's Missive: The Brilliant Factor Far too often, we casually throw around the word "brilliant". I remarked last month that a few co-workers of mine had deemed Jon Stewart as a brilliant individual. I counter-offered a few people I thought better deserved such an adjective. Unfortunately, I suppose those types of things are completely subjective. Still, I'm curious to know a few things:
Comments Posted by: John at November 19, 2004 04:19 AM Brilliance is exceptional clarity about existing knowledge in a discipline or pursuit, fused with an ability to expand the discipline. When one is able to effectively communicate this new direction, one is said to be brilliant.
Posted by: Bijan at November 19, 2004 06:20 AM Brilliance, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. But I like the definition given by Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt for the august body in which he belongs- there should be no dispute as to the person's qualifications. We discussed Condi Rice further down from this entry. Count her in the mix. Peyton Manning is simply redefining how to play quarterback- the most difficult position, intellectually, physically, and emotionally, to play in team sports. Rush Limbaugh continues to provide insight, wit, and uncompromising personal philosophy every day. He has revolutionized the medium of talk radio, spurred the so-called 'new media,' and provided a place in American political theory that will take years to unfold. A truly brilliant executive, Mel Karmazin, is taking his manifold skills to Sirius Satellite Radio. If you're not with Sirius or rival XM, you don't know what you're missing. Karmazin's hiring is more auspicious for Sirius than that of his former employee, Howard Stern. Add Stephen Hawking to physics. The innovators of blogdom- particularly Mark Shea for Catholicism- have provided sufficient challenges for the older media and those for whom those media have coddled. Finally- because I'm Catholic, and we won't know his full effect for centuries- a special and distinguished vote for Pope John Paul II- with the intellect of an Aquinas, combined with the missionary zeal of Paul. A man for all seasons- much like St. Thomas More. Posted by: Gerard E. at November 19, 2004 06:46 AM 1) A new, (very) intriguing idea/paradigm or an intriguing expression of an ordinary idea. 2) Cornell West. Posted by: memer at November 19, 2004 06:53 AM Someone who can think analytically and insightfully without using a predictable paradigm and applying it to everything (such as "There are the oppressors and the oppressed. X is the oppressor and Y is the oppressed"). Posted by: mj at November 19, 2004 07:27 AM examples of "living brilliance" Bill Gates and (drumroll please) Al Gore... he did, after all, invent the internet that gives us this wonderful medium of communication ;) Posted by: Glen at November 19, 2004 07:33 AM I think there are two distinctly different types of Brilliance: 1) Intellectual brilliance. This is the ability to ascertain reality, truth, or fully understand the nature of a complex problem or reality. 2) Tactical brilliance. This is simply the ability to create and execute a tactical plan to achieve a difficult objective. Leadership is when Intellectual and Tactical brilliance intersect, though not necessarily the same person, or even the same group or team. Success almost always involves intellectual and tactical brilliance. Our three branch system of government with checks and balances is the product of intellectual and tactical brilliance. It both fosters intellectual and practical input providing a basis for tactical success while making it harder for pure stupidity to prevail. Some brilliance is more profound than other brilliance of course and stupidity is never without advocates! Posted by: Vanyogan at November 19, 2004 10:07 AM Bill Cosby All innovators that shine in a culture of conformity... Posted by: advocate at November 19, 2004 10:07 AM From the last few years? Pope John-Paul II Posted by: Jeff the Baptist at November 19, 2004 10:33 AM V's definition brushes against the idea of only one kind of valid IQ, I think. What of artistic brilliance? Advanced social skillz (E.Q.)? Posted by: memer at November 19, 2004 10:58 AM There are so many brilliant people who talk so far above my head that they may as well be speaking Greek. Thus I choose people who are brilliant enough to communicate with the common man. I admire a quick wit. Hugh Grant has a brilliantly quick wit. I think Franklin Graham is brilliant in his ability to get the Gospel of Christ across in any and every interview he ever gives. Becki at Fluffa (a knitting blog) is brilliant. Ambra, I think you are brilliant. Susan Wise Bauer, author of The Well Trained Mind, is brilliant. And hard working...and the mother of four. Hey, Ken Jennings (Jeopardy Champ) is pretty brilliant! I encounter these folks frequently and often remark to myself, 'wow...that was good!' Donna Posted by: Donna Boucher at November 19, 2004 12:29 PM The guys from the Guinness commercials. Brilliant! Sorry... I had to break the deepness. :) Posted by: Aaron at November 19, 2004 12:41 PM A big 'amen' on Ken Jennings. As Memer said, it's not just the amount of data on his hard drive, it's his retrieval time. Uncanny. Posted by: Bijan at November 19, 2004 12:41 PM Good responses thus far. I find it interesting that few have mentioned many artists. I had to wrack my brain for the living, but a few off the top under the category of artistic brilliance imho are: Savion Glover Donna, I really like your analyis. I definitely think there's an element of wittiness that can be counted among the "brilliant". And thanks for the undeserved nod Donna ;-) Posted by: Ambra at November 19, 2004 02:32 PM former President Carter in diplomacy Posted by: Bijan at November 19, 2004 02:54 PM Not necessarily history changing brilliance in every case but people I consider predictive in their accuracy or ground breaking: Almost living: Posted by: vanyogan at November 19, 2004 04:01 PM Richard Pryor THEN Geeorge W. Bush, emotional intelligence is through the roof THEN Charlie Kaufmann (writer: "Adaptation" , "Being John Malkovich") So much more.... Posted by: Kevin Leo at November 19, 2004 04:18 PM Brilliance: Posted by: SharonB at November 19, 2004 09:18 PM How could I forget? Posted by: Donna Boucher at November 21, 2004 12:30 PM Francis Ford Coppola, Dr. John Hope Franklin, Berry Gordy and Dr. Neal DeGrasse Tyson are living examples. Posted by: Bijan at November 21, 2004 05:05 PM |
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 "...playful philosophizing" Dan Leroy, National Review Online
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Defining brilliance (or greatness) is an exercise in relativity, and also is best exercised with hindsight.
On the relative side, many people we consider brilliant were exceptional, but also happened to arrive at a time when their competitors were mediocre (Alexander the Great is the perfect example). Others though, are considered "brilliant" because they rose out of a great field of worthies (Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven leap to mind). Since their is no quantitative measurement of brilliance, we are forced to rely on this.
As far as hindsight goes, most people in the past who we regard as brilliant were seldom regarded as such in their lifetimes, and not usually until a few generations had passed. Lincoln was despised by both sides during his lifetime. Thomas Jefferson was considered (in many ways rightly) a figure of fun, as were Socrates and Plato. In the end, hindsight allows us to have a small amount of objectivity with regards to someone's achievements. In other words we are no longer emotionally involved in the question.
Alright, that was more wordy than I have been since college, and made as much sense as my thesis. As far as living brilliant people, I honestly do not see anyone now who so bestrides the world and dwarfs all competition in his field that he could be considered such, but again, hindsight will likely change all of that... look me up on this one in 2024.